Airport "security"

marksi · Mon 23 Nov, 2009 12.55

I find myself at Belfast City Airport with time on my hands owing to an unexplained delay at Heathrow.

Last year I bought an approved 0.95 litre toiletries bag. Clear, zip lock. I've used it at least a dozen times in flying back and forward from this airport.

Today, it is confiscated at security, because "it is not approved". I say it is, and point to the label which states the volume of the bag. "The rules have changed, it's not approved anymore" says security woman who's now not looking at me and looking at the next customer. Security manager then comes over and asks what I'm complaining about because "we've given you a plastic bag for free". Yes, a bag the same size but which is thinner and with a less secure zip lock.

People used to complain about traffic wardens but these days airport "security" is much worse. Rules that are different depending on who you happen to get that day and don't feel able to question, while they herd people like cattle through their gates.

Of course it's not in their interest to question any security measures - the slower the queue moves the more chance there is of taking on more security staff.

Oh, and one other thing.

I can fly from Belfast City to Heathrow and back without anyone checking my identity at all. All you need to do is check in using the highly secure bmi Diamond Club card at a self-check in machine. No ID required.

tillyoshea · Mon 23 Nov, 2009 17.09

marksi wrote:I can fly from Belfast City to Heathrow and back without anyone checking my identity at all. All you need to do is check in using the highly secure bmi Diamond Club card at a self-check in machine. No ID required.

I fairly regularly fly between Belfast and Newcastle, and rarely have my ID checked whether at Belfast City or the disaster that is Belfast International, just by checking in online with either EasyJet or Flybe. I'm struggling to remember the last time I was asked to open the passport I waved at the person checking them at the boarding gate / door.

peterrocket · Mon 23 Nov, 2009 17.39

In the past 3 years, I've never been asked for ID at the City Airport... Online Check-in, they just look at the printout and that's it.

Quite disturbing. Even the people at the gate don't check!

Lorns · Mon 23 Nov, 2009 17.46

When i took my mum to Heathrow Terminal 4, i saw no security this side of check in. I was a little nervous while parking in car park. A group of Asian guys were crossing my path and one of them was wearing a balaclava. Oh and the short term parking charges are criminal.

No police, no sniffer dogs or anything like that.

Sput · Mon 23 Nov, 2009 17.49

Presumably they were apprehended inside, since nothing blew up.

Yes. That'll be it.

Lorns · Mon 23 Nov, 2009 18.02

Sput wrote:Presumably they were apprehended inside, since nothing blew up.

Yes. That'll be it.

Or maybe he just found it very cold in October and i had an overactive imagination. I didn't sleep properly for at least 26 hrs.

Gavin Scott · Mon 23 Nov, 2009 18.39

Lorns wrote:I didn't sleep properly for at least 26 hrs.

No wonder. 7 hours is quite enough.

Otherwise you'll get bed sores.

Lorns · Mon 23 Nov, 2009 18.55

Gavin Scott wrote:
Lorns wrote:I didn't sleep properly for at least 26 hrs.
No wonder. 7 hours is quite enough.

Otherwise you'll get bed sores.

Lol.. You know what i mean.

GNiel · Tue 24 Nov, 2009 07.04

I usually use my BMI card to self check in as well. Usually using Manchester Airport (or more recently Heathrow as BMI have stopped long haul flights from Manchester), which has fairly efficient security.

The key to not getting stopped with liquids is to... not carry liquids, check them in if you are checking baggage (which is still free with a lot of airlines). That said I have kept small containers of liquid in my hand luggage several times and nobody has blinked an eye.

I do think it is a farce that one can't carry liquids though. Whether I have 100ml or 500ml of propanol isn't really going to make a huge amount of difference.

cdd · Tue 24 Nov, 2009 11.20

What about frozen liquids?

I remember in the not very distant past the rule used to be "take a good gulp of that liquid, Sir". That always worked!

Gavin Scott · Tue 24 Nov, 2009 11.31

GNiel wrote:I usually use my BMI card to self check in as well. Usually using Manchester Airport (or more recently Heathrow as BMI have stopped long haul flights from Manchester), which has fairly efficient security.

The key to not getting stopped with liquids is to... not carry liquids, check them in if you are checking baggage (which is still free with a lot of airlines). That said I have kept small containers of liquid in my hand luggage several times and nobody has blinked an eye.

I do think it is a farce that one can't carry liquids though. Whether I have 100ml or 500ml of propanol isn't really going to make a huge amount of difference.

I was told to check in (or bin) part of a skincare set when I last got on a flight. I checked it in, as it was expensive stuff.

Too much security is better than too little, but people get cross when they are mildly inconvenienced. Its almost as if when their plane isn't hi-jacked and crashed they wonder why they had to take their shoes off.

Which is fairly specious reasoning, isn't it.